MANY years ago, before I married a dashing farmer, ahem, I trained as a specialist social worker for the blind.

Part of my work involved travelling to Leamington Spa to a centre where Guide Dogs for the Blind were trained, assessed and then introduced to their new owners.

Most of these dogs were Labradors. I have often looked at our own dogs and marvelled that the same breed of impetuous, head strong, excitable canines that we seem to own, could in any way be linked to the dependable, bomb proof, super intelligent Labradors that guide dogs for the blind train.

The son of one of my closest and oldest friends, in terms of years known, not age of course, is registered blind. His latest guide dog, Rufus, is central to his life and has even taken him safely through central London in the midst of a bomb scare and across the Atlantic, where he enjoyed VIP, or perhaps VID, privileges.

Before Rufus there was Lois and Faith. Beautiful, intelligent companions.

Steve, a musician and drummer, could not work - he teaches music - or play at the many venues he is invited to without the support of Rufus. He opens up the world to Steve and allows him to participate in and enjoy his many interests.

Most venues Steve finds are welcoming and willing to adapt to the needs and access required for guide dogs. But not all. Over the years Steve has been refused entry to restaurants, taxis and shops, despite the very clear legislation in place to support access to public places for him and his guide dog. But recently, he has been upset by the response of a major venue to a fellow owner of a guide dog.

This lady, also registered blind, was refused access on the grounds of safety, even though a celebrity had his dogs with him. Since then, despite repeated attempts to communicate with the venue's management, she feels she has been met with a very limited and brusque response when trying to pursue the matter further.

I feel very privileged that all my life I have enjoyed good vision, good hearing (apart from when it is useful to turn a blind eye or deaf ear to unwanted sights or requests) and no particular discrimination in terms of the person I am, or represent.

True, if I mention we farm in certain circles or company, I am frequently reliably informed and taken to task over horror stories of factory farmed animals, the overuse of chemicals on crops, the holes blasted in the ozone layer by flatulent cows and how you can undergo an unwanted sex change by eating intensively reared broiler chickens. All good stuff for an argument. And I do wonder how most farming families manage to survive past their youth when exposed to so many rural and agricultural hazards.

As Steve and his friend also know too well, discrimination based on a blinkered grasp of the reality or legality of a situation, causes a plethora of problems.